Dispensing faucets



Jan. 15, 1957 w. STELZER ETAL DISPENSING FAUCETS Filed Aug. 3, 1955 I wllll/lll/s I'lllllllllllt! I'll!!!IIIIIIIIII'III/III.

nited States DISPENSING FAUCETS William Stelzer and Walter Eickele, Summit, N. J.; said Stelzer assignor to said Eickele The invention relates to dispensing faucets and more particularly to faucets for blending and dispensing beverages from a liquid container, where the liquid drawn from the container is blended with air by means of a power driven agitator or impeller.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel sanitary dispensing and blending faucet including a valve element to control the flow from a liquid container, an air inlet in the stream of liquid after the latter has passed the valve element for entrainment of air in the liquid, and a power driven impeller for blending or homogenizing the air and liquid mixture.

Another object is to include means to impel the liquid passed by the valve element to produce a stream of relatively high velocity and low pressure to facilitate the entrainment of air in the liquid before blending, and to provide a blender of high efiiciency to blend the mixture as it passes through.

A further object is to provide a sanitary faucet of the class described that can be easily and quickly disassembled for cleaning, that comprises a minimum of parts and is cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing submitted for the purpose of illustration and not to define the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims. In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of a dispensing faucet embodying the invention, showing the power means and control diagrammatically;

Fig. 2, a section taken on lines 2-2 of Fig. l, but showing the faucet in an open position;

Fig. 3, a section taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a detail view of a pin about which the faucet operating lever pivots;

Fig. 5, an elevational fragmentary view of one of the parts of which the faucet is composed;

Fig. 6, a section taken on lines 66 of Fig. 1; an

Fig. 7, a sectional elevation of the impeller showing a modified form of the invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of elements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.

In the embodiment shown, the housing 1 of the faucet is secured to a heat insulated liquid container 2 by means of a sleeve 3 which serves as an outlet for container 2 and as the valve seat for the valve element or stopper 4 resting on a casing 5 sliding in a bore 6 of housing '1. Casing 5 in turn rests on the arms 7 of a handlever 8 pivoted to atent O 2,777,675 Patented Jan. 15, 1957 housing 1 by means of a pivot pin 9 which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The slightly recessed central portion 10 of pin 9 extends through the lug 11 of housing 1, the recess serving as a detent to prevent the accidental disengagement of the pin, yet permitting its removal for the disassembly of a faucet. Stopper 4 and casing 5 are concentric and held together by a return spring 12 which urges the faucet into a closed position, as shown in Fig. l.

The joint is sealed by a packing 14 so that the lower' and hollow part of stopper 4 and the casing 5 together form a blending chamber 15 in which is housed animpeller 16 whose hub 17 is rigidly secured to a vertical propeller shaft 18 extending through casing 5 and into stopper 4, being revolubly supported by bearings 20 and 21 and carrying a pulley 22 at its lower extremity to be driven by an electric motor 23 through the medium of a drive belt 24 and motor pulley 22'. There is a clearance around shaft 18 where it extends into the upper part of stopper 4 to form a passage 25 in communication with chamber 15 and a port or a slot 26 intermediate a pair of O-ring seals 27 and 28 indicated in Fig. 5. Casing 5 has a spout 30 through which the liquid is dispensed when the faucet is opened, whereby the liquid flows from container 2 ma port 26, passage 25, chamber 15, and spout 30. Passage 25'is somewhat restricted so that the velocity of the, liquid when it passes through is relatively highand the pressure low. This low pressure is utilized to draw in air from the atmosphere through a hole 31 pointing in a direction where the flow of air tends to converge with the flow of liquid in passage 25. Due to the rotation of shaft 18 as indicated by arrow 34 in Fig. 6, the fluid in passage 25 is given a rotation in the same direction. In order to increase the speed of rotation of the liquid so that more air is entrained, the shaft may have a pair of flats 35 which have a similar effect as small vanes. Thus the shaft extending through passage 25 has a definite function in the injection of air into the liquid stream and may be considered as a means for conditioning the liquid for drawing in an increased amount of air, not only by impelling the liquid to have a higher velocity, but also by imparting eddy formations which enable the liquid to entrain more air. The walls of chamber 15 have undulations produced in the form of a plurality of scallops 36 in the bore of stopper 4 and similar scallops 37 in the bore of casing 5, giving the effect of ribs perpendicular tothe impeller plane and tending to break up the vertical movement of the mixture when the impeller is revolving. The impeller 16 has a pair of up wardly extending blades 38 disposed in the upper part of chamber 15 where scallops 36 are, and a pair of blades 39 disposed in the lower part of chamber 15 where ribs 37 are located. The blades are given a geometrical pitch, in order to impel the liquid or blended mixture to discharge through spout 30. The pitch shown in the illustration is exaggerated, as actually the pitch is very slight due to the high speed at which the impeller is run, and it is not desirable to discharge the mixture too rapidly as a slower discharge flow gives a more stable and homogeneous mixture. A keyway 40 in casing 5 and a pin or key41 secured to housing 1 prevent rotation of casing 5, and the keyway provides an open passage from the atmosphere to chamber 42 where spring 12 is located. In order that hole 31 is always open to chamber 42, including when the faucet is fully opened, a recess 43 in stopper 4 is provided. The impeller is operated only when the valve element is opened, for which purpose an electric switch 44 is provided, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. This switch is normally closed but held open by an arm 45 of lever 8 when the latter is in the off position and the faucet closed, but when the lever is depressed the switch is allowed to close an electric circuit consisting of wires 46, 47, and line 43 to energize the electric motor 23. Arm 45 also serves as a stop resting against abutment 49 parts when the faucet is closed.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the propeller shaft 51 is hollow and has a hole 52, which, when the shaft is assembled, is within blender chamber 15. When this construction is used, the flats 35 and hole 31 may be omitted, otherwise the construction is the same as in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the faucet shown in Figs. l6, depression of lever 3 causes arms 7, which straddle shaft 18 and pulley 22, to swing upwardly to lift casing and stopper 4 against the pressure of spring 12. The impeller 16, impeller shaft 18, spout 4, casing 5, chamber 15, and spout 39 form a unit and thus travel in unison until stopper 4 abuts against sleeve 3 as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the upper O-ring 27 and port 2-5 are above sleeve 3 so that liquid can flow from container 2 into chamber 15. However, at the first increment of movement of lever 8 switch 44 has been closed so that the motor is energized and the impeller running when liquid passes through slot 26 and passage to pick up air from hole 31 (or in the modification of Fig. 7 from hole 52) and thence to be blended in chamber 15 and discharged through spout 3b. When the lever is released, spring 12 returns the moving elements to the position shown in Fig. l where the valve element is closed and switch 44 opened.

To remove the removable parts of the faucet for cleaning, belt 24 is first removed from pulley 22, and then pin 9 is pulled out to remove lever 8, whereby spring 12 pushes stopper 4 and easing 6 with the impeller shaft and impeller out of housing 1. Casing 5 and stopper can be simply pulled apart since in the assembled position they are held together only by the force of spring 12 against the rounded tips of arms 7.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A dispensing faucet for a liquid container having an outlet, comprising manually operable valve means including a stopper to dispense liquid from said container, a blender chamber having ribbed walls, a central restricted passage in communication with said valve means and said chamber to transmit liquid from said valve means to said chamber, an impeller shaft extending coaxially into said chamber and said restricted passage, said impeller shaft being smaller than said restricted passage to permit the flow of liquid in the clearance between said shaft-and said restricted passage, an impeller secured to said shaft within said chamber to turn with said shaft, hearings to support said shaft, said stopper, chamber, central restricted passage, impeller shaft, impeller, and bearings forming a unit movable with respect to said outlet, and

air passage from the atmosphere in communication with said restricted passage for the entrainment of air in the liquid passing through said restricted passage, said shaft in said restricted passage being formed to increase the suction in said restricted passage to draw in an increased amount of air into said restricted passage, a pulley mounted on said impeller shaft, power means including a belt to drive said impeller shaft, and a discharge spout connected to said chamber.

2. A dispensing faucet for a liquid container having an outlet, comprising valve means including a stopper to dispense liquid from said container, a blender chamber having ribbed walls, said valve means being arranged to dispense liquid into and through said blender chamber, a discharge spout leading from said blender chamber, a power driven impeller shaft extending centrally into said chamber, an impeller secured to said shaft within said chamber to turn with said shaft to impel the liquid to be dispersed through said discharge spout, an air passage in said shaft with an outlet part to said chamber to utilize the suction created by said impeller near said shaft to draw airinto said chamber, said air passage being perma nently open to the atmosphere, said stopper, blender chamber, discharge spout, impeller shaft, impeller, and air passage forming a unit movable with respect to said outlet of said container, resilient means to bias said unit into a position where said stopper seals said outlet of the liquid container, and manual lever means operatively connected with said unit to move said unit.

3. 'A dispensing faucet for a liquid container, comprising an outlet for said container, valve means including a stopper movable in said outlet and adapted to seal said' outlet or to control the flow of liquid through said outlet, a blender chamber having walls secured to said stopper to be movable therewith, a passage in permanent communi cation with said chamber arranged to transmit liquid passed by said stopper to said chamber, a discharge passage extending from said blender chamber, a revolubly mounted impeller shaft extending into said chamber and being coaxial with said chamber, an impeller secured to said shaft within said chamber to revolve with said shaft, said stopper, chamber, shaft, impeller, and discharge passage forming a unit movable with respect to said outlet, means to yieldingly urge said unit into a sealing position, manually operable means including a lever to move said unit into an open position to dispense fiuid from said container, an air inlet leading to said chamber proximate to said impeller shaft, and power means to drive said im peller shaft.

4. A dispensing faucet for a liquid container, comprising a sleeve secured to said container and forming an outlet for the liquid in said container, valve means consisting of a stopper movable in said sleeve and adapted to seal said sleeve or to control the flow of liquid through said sleeve, a blender chamber having ribbed walls, a

passage in permanent communication with said chamber arranged to transmit liquid passed by said stopper to said chamber, a discharge spout connected to said blender chamber, a revolubly mounted impeller shaft extending into said chamber, an impeller secured to said shaft within said chamber to revolve with said shaft, said stopper, blender chamber, shaft, impeller, and discharge spout forming a unit movable with respect to said sleeve, resilient means to bias said unit into a sealing position, a manually operable lever having a fixed pivot and being operatively. connected with said unit to move said unit into an open position to dispense fluid from said container, an air inlet leading to said chamber, and power means to drive said impeller. shaft.

5. The construction according to claim 4, said lever being arranged to retain said unit, a stop for said lever in the released position, and means to facilitate the removal of said lever so that said unit can be removed from said sleeve and container.

6. The construction according to claim 4, and means responsive to the first increment of movement of said lever in a direction to open said valve means to cause the energization of said power means.

7. A dispensing faucet for a liquid container, comprising a sleeve secured to said container and forming an outlet for the liquid in said container, a housing secured to said sleeve, valve means consisting of a stopper movable in said sleeve, a port in said stopper positioned to be in communication with the liquid in said container when said stopper is moved in a direction into said container and closed when said stopper is retracted into said sleeve, a blender chamber having ribbed walls adjacent to and concentric with said stopper, a passage between said port and said blender chamber, a discharge outlet in said blender chamber, an impeller shaft extending into and being concentric with said stopper and blender chamber, bearings for said shaft, a multi-blade impeller secured to said shaft within said blender chamber to revolve with said shaft, said stopper, blender chamber, passage, discharge outlet, bearings, shaft and impeller forming a unit within said housing and movable with respect to said sleeve and housing, resilient means to bias said unit into a sealing position, a manually operated lever in operative engagement with said unit, a pivot pin for said lever secured to said housing, an air inlet leading to said passage, power means to drive said impeller shaft, and a stop for said lever in the released position.

8. The construction according to claim '7, where said pivot pin is removable and has a detent to prevent accidental removal, said pivot pin being the sole mounting means for said lever and said lever being the sole means for retaining said unit, so that removal of said pivot pin frees said lever and unit for removal from said sleeve and housing.

9. The construction as claimed in claim 7, where said power means to drive said impeller shaft consists of an electric motor having a motor pulley, a pulley mounted on said impeller shaft outside of said chamber and housing, and a drive belt connecting said pulleys.

10. The construction as claimed in claim 7, and an electric switch mechanically connected with said lever to interrupt the electric circuit of said motor when said lever is in the released position when said faucet is closed.

11. The construction according to claim 7 where the walls of said blender chamber are separable to afiord access to the inside surfaces of said blender chamber for cleaning.

12. The construction according to claim 7, and O-ring seals adjacent to said port in said stopper.

13. The construction according to claim 7, said 'passage between said port and said blender chamber being concentric with said stopper, said shaft extending through said passage so that a clearance exists around said shaft, one of said bearings being located in said stopper and the other bearing in one of said walls remotest from said stopper, and means to prevent rotation of said unit relative to said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

